Adherence promotion interventions in pediatric asthma

What is it about?

Many youth with asthma have suboptimal adherence to daily inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) increasing risk for asthma-related mortality and morbidity, such as asthma exacerbations, school absences, emergency room visits, and more. Because of this, several interventions have been created to encourage and support ICS adherence among youth. These interventions vary in approaches and strategies. The current study explores the extent to which these interventions improve ICS adherence in pediatric asthma using a meta analysis, a systematic method for assessing the results of previous research. Examining findings across 33 studies, findings suggest interventions, particularly interventions incorporating technology/digital health aspects (e.g., electronic monitoring), may be a useful tool in increasing adherence in this population. Findings also suggest that while these interventions tend to have positive impacts on other factors, such as quality of life and healthcare utilization, it is also evident that many adherence promotion interventions do not result in long-term improvements in adherence. Further research is needed to optimize assessment of long term effects of these interventions, as well as develop novel strategies and approaches to improve and optimize interventions and reduce bias over time.

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Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The current study demonstrates that interventions for ICS adherence are effective for youth with asthma. Findings also address a critical gap in the literature by providing a strong rationale for the need for future research aimed at developing more effective adherence promotion interventions using empirical data and improving the measurement of long-term impacts of these interventions over time. Results also highlight the risk of bias in existing interventions and provide recommendations for reducing this risk and improving the quality of future interventions.